I’m working on a Christmas musical with my elementary Drama classes, and the lyrics to one of the songs includes the phrase, “When the good guys lose.” The song is called “Be Still My Soul” and it’s about trusting God no matter what. But that phrase, “when the good guys lose” makes my little guys pause.

“Mrs. McGee! Why does it say the good guys lose?”

To children whose stories still end in “and they lived happily ever after”, this idea is shocking. Good guys win! Always.

So we’ve talked about the fact that, sometimes, on earth, there are times when good guys seem to lose. One of the classes was studying the story of Joseph, so I reminded them that Joseph was a very good guy who had some very awful things happen to him.

I saw it in my Bible study this week – we’re in Acts 12, and in that one chapter James is killed for preaching the gospel and Peter is miraculously saved from prison. Both good guys. One lost and one “won”.

In church Sunday, we prayed for the persecuted church and watched a video that reminded us, in some parts of the world, believers are being imprisoned, beaten, and even killed for their faith.

Last week, a friend’s husband – the same age as my husband – died of cancer. He was a good guy.

So what do we do “when the good guys lose”?

We seek God’s peace. We receive a stillness of soul that can only be explained by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Those of us who have walked with Christ for any length of time know that peace doesn’t come from life being easy or from always “winning”. Peace comes from an internal understanding that God is good and He is in control.

I also reminded my students that, ultimately, the good guys WILL win. Joseph’s ultimate victory wasn’t when he became Pharaoh’s right-hand man. It was much later – when he left this earth to spend eternity with God. The same is true for James and Peter, for our persecuted brothers and sisters, and for my friend’s husband.

Jesus told us that, in this world, we will have trouble. But He has overcome this world. Let’s remember this truth! Cling to it. And when it seems like the good guys are losing, let our souls be still in the presence of our Savior.